Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Dee Dee Warwick (1945-2008)

More sad news. Singer Dee Dee Warwick, younger sister of Dionne Warwick, died Saturday in a New Jersey nursing home. She was 63 years old.

Dee Dee was a major-label recording artist in the late ’60s and early ’70s, but her solo career never took off.

Ironically, she recorded the original versions of two songs that later became huge hits for other stars – “You’re No Good” (a smash for Linda Ronstadt) and “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” (a No. 2 hit when recorded by the Supremes and the Temptations).

Ms. Warwick was also a busy background vocalist during the 1960s, appearing on records by Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, the Drifters and others. She got her start in a gospel group, the Gospelaires, along with Dionne.

For someone like me who was born in Jamaica and came of age in Brooklyn (in the late 60's-early 70's) loving both Reggae and Soul, Dee Dee makes four.Alton Ellis, one of the seminal singers and songwriters in Jamaican music also died, last weekend in England. His songs helped move Ska to Rock Steady and Rock Steady to Reggae.When the Wailers started recording, one of the groups they looked to emulate was Alton Ellis and the Flames. Alton was also from the Trenchtown neighborhood in Kingston.His influence on the music cannot be overstated.

Dee and Dionne...probably not unlike Aretha and her sister, who were very close and sang together on the early hits, or Mary and her sister, who sing together as well. Interesting little pattern there....